So I’m back…..but I am trying to make the switch over to Blogger, so go check out my new post there. www.jlhonse.blogspot.com. I think I might enjoy it better, although I really do LOVE wordpress, so we’ll see how it works out, but for now I’m gonna be blogging from Blogger to see if I like it. I hope you’ll hop on over there to see the new posts! Thanks!

Well today is Shout Out Wednesday and I didn’t even have to think about what it would be about!

Today’s shout out goes out to my hometown, Mena! For those of you have never been, it’s wonderful and I’m sad you didn’t grow up there. Small? Yes. Can’t go somewhere without seeing 5 or more people you know? Yes. A wonderful place to call home? Yes.

Now I can say that I don’t plan on moving back to Mena anything soon, but no matter where my current physical home is located, Mena will ALWAYS be my HOME!

Here are some of the things I think make Mena great!

Back in HS you could go to Subway and get a discount on game days! Thanks Mrs. Stanley.

We have a Cruizzer’s. What’s a Cruizzer’s you say? Only the best drive in ever.

How many town build a new Super Wal-Mart across from the old regular Wal-Mart.

Do you have a place called Thrill Hill in your town?

There are plenty of “water holes” to occupy someone for the summer.

Our school colors are red and black, which also have to be my two favorite colors.

We have a very an abundance of banks and churches for such a small town.

It’s nice to come from a place where you know most the town (this doesn’t hold true for me necessarily now, but it did once upon a time).

There are many many many many more reason that I love this town I call home. Not only are there great people that come from and still live in it, but it’s a beautiful place. And with the recent tragedies I hope you will all keep this wonderful town in your prayers.

Oh, also, how many of you have a French teacher that was extremely concerned with your well being, enough so that she would have hallway talks with you? OR did you have a principal called Mr. G? Whom I would occasionally try to call G-Dog. Wasn’t always a winner.

So here’s to you Mena, Arkansas, best little town in the world. Thank you for being my home. Cheers!

I want to start by saying sorry, some of you will be offended, but it happens. You don’t have to continue to read my blog if you are.

Now before I begin my little rant, I want to let you all know that I love my town (Mena) and I freaking love my state!!!!! I consider it the most beautiful, friendly, amazing place I’ve ever been and I am sad that for an unknown amount of time that I am leaving it. BUT I do not in any way thing that it is okay to write ignorant things like this on the side of your house. In case you can’t read it, it says, “Katrina, Arkansas takes care of its own.”

Yes Katrina, (a natural disaster that apparently the people of Louisiana and Mississippi had control over) just like the tornado that Mena had control over. TAKE THAT!

I’m sorry that I think it’s horrible to compare natural (even unnatural) disasters that kill 3 or hundreds. Am I proud that I come from a community/state that will help themselves and their neighbor. YES!!!!!!!!!! MORE THAN YOU PROBABLY KNOW. Sorry I know some of you think this sign is great, but I can’t help but think of the hundreds of people who lost or will lose their life because of a natural disaster. I don’t think that this particular sign makes my state/community look as great as it truly is. In my mind it makes it look ignorant. Again, sorry I just couldn’t hold it in any longer. So my apologies if you don’t like my opinion, but it’s just that yours MINE, I in no way expect you to feel the same way. One of the best blogs I read is by Krissi, a fellow Mena gal, and guess what we totally don’t see eye to eye on all issues (I know this from some of her posts) BUT she’s one great person. WHY? Because she’s honest and opinionated and I can respect someone like that.

So I hope you all have a wonderful day and please keep the community of Mena and it’s people in your prayers, they have a lot to rebuild. And come back if you’re not too offended and check out “Shout Out Wednesday”.

Hey hey! My friend Jamie often writes posts about things, events, people, companies, or organizations that she likes and I LOVE it. So stealing from her idea I think every Wednesday (at least I’ll try) to write what will be called my “Shout Out” posts!

So today’s Shout Out post is dedicated to my sister, Sumitra! Why? Because she’s on my mind a lot lately. She is expecting her first child, a baby boy, this summer and I couldn’t be more excited to be an Aunt. Her baby shower is Saturday and my post from yesterday was requests for any yummy appetizers recipes you might have or know. I wanted to make this post about her because I love her dearly and think that she will make the BEST mother in the world. She has always had to be the mother type AND sister to me because we are 9 years apart. She’s always very encouraging and positive when I come to her with complaints or worries. And I’m just so thankful to God for all he has given me through her. She is a wonderful person (like most of the people in my life) and she deserves for all the happiness and all her dreams to come true. I will have to add a picture of her later as I don’t have one on the computer.

So here’s to you wonderful sissy! I love you with all my heart and can’t wait to watch all the wonders and joys that are about to happen in your life. Thanks for all you do and all you are!

Hello! I am asking all my readers for HELP! Why? Cause I can’t cook and I know some of you can. Which means you have an arsenal of recipes just hanging around. I need appetizer recipes or finger food recipes for my sister’s baby shower this weekend. (Saturday). I want to make tons of goodies to ensure we have plenty of snacks, but honestly I don’t know that many appetizer recipes, at least not ones that aren’t good for watching a sporting event!!!!!!!!!! (those kind of appetizers I can do). So if any of you have any recipes please link me to them or send them my way! I would REALLY appreciate it. The only thing I know I will be making for sure is spinach dip. I want to make baked brie, but I’ve never done it. I googled some stuff, but I would rather hear from you who have actually made and/or tasted the recipes you will link/send to me.

I hope you are all doing wonderful and thanks for all your help. Hopefully I’ll get a few today and tomorrow cause Thursday I will be testing the waters on my girlst night and seeing what they think. I look forward to hearing from you!!!!!!

Hello world! I have a treat for you. My friend Donnally started her own blog and was kind enough to share it with me and I love it and think that as she blogs more you will really appreciate her sense of humor and the wonders of spending her day with 8 and 9 year olds. Not only that but her poetry/writings are very inspiring! She just started so it’s early enough to jump on over to her blog and start following her from the beginning! Just click here, Running Stoplights.

Yesterday was a very hard day for me at work. I don’t say that very often so that means something. And today will be hard too. My boss will finally be back from her work trip and I will have to tell her when my last day will be. This was my first post college job, so I’m very thankful for her and all she did for me. Now I have more things for you to check out.

Pandora is one of the greatest inventions EVER invented!!! I mean it’s great. It’s a free service where you can go and make your own radio stations! I have a Garth Brooks station as well as a Reba, cause I need my country fix. I also have a boys II men and Britney Spears. I love it. You can pick a station based on a particular singer or a song and you can add variety. I also have holiday stations so I can always listen to Christmas music ANY time of year!!!!! My friend Jamie will vouch for me. She also loves it and she her blog is uber fun so hop on over and check her out! Jamie’s blog.

More fun stuff, my friend Rachel who does pet photography and is AMAZING has fun post where you can win something. You just have to write her a comment answering some fun questions. So while you’re hoping to all these other wonderful sites…..stop by hers!Rachel Sloan Photography.

An update on the move. Jake is still waiting for his official start date, which we anticipate to be in May. I will not be going down til June. I’m very excited still, but I haven’t cried yet, which only means one thing. I will cry like a baby on the day I get in my car to leave this great state I call home! I really will. I love it and honestly I know that change is good (most the time) and that it must happen to evolve as a person, but I’m a very nostalgic person and I am always sad to see things change, no matter how good the change is. Most people were excited about college, I cried my eyes out while I packed my room up. I moved 2 and 1/2 hours away from some of my closest friends to a place ( from Fayetteville to Little Rock) where I had my two very best friends, my sister and Jake. Yet I cried like I was never going to see these people again. Who knows why God made me this way, but I will cry if I see someone else crying. It’s the strangest thing! So…..I’ll be sure to let you know of the exact day I’m leaving so I can get some thoughts thrown my way since I’ll need them. I hope you are all having a wonderful day.

By the way, why does spell check not recognize the word blog? That’s strange.

Good Monday morning!!!!! I’m in a great mood! However I’m very stressed! Well, I guess I might as well just say it. We’re moving! Yup you heard me, moving. To where you are asking………………….to the Big Easy, NOLA, or in normal language New Orleans! Now I’ve never been to New Orleans and I’ve heard both good and bad things, but either way, I’m excited. It’s a great opportunity for Jake and for myself! It’s a chance to learn a new culture and a new style of living.

So now I am a little stressed as well as very excited. Reasons why I’m stressed:

1. Having to find a new job in a new city where I know absolutely no one.
2. Having to pack up my old house.
3. Having to find a new house (again in a city I know very little about, although I’ve talked to some good people and learned a little).
4. Then having to unpack and settle in in our new house.

These are just a few of the millions of things running through my head! I hope you’re Monday is as great as mine is!!! Talk to you soon.